Within these Castle Walls
by FreedomsDiscretion
Summary: What can you do when you are invited unknowingly to partake in a barbaric tradition? Forced to run and elude your pursuers it is only a matter of time before you are caught but being stubborn, Sakura will not go down easily.
1. Prologue

Hey everyone, it seems like I have always been a reviewer not a writer, so I decided to change things up on my first and maybe last fanfiction attempt.

I also do not own Naruto.

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"_This particular root is used for potions specifically to alter the mind. In small dosages it can cause hallucinations. Tasteless and odorless, this rare root can only be attained in dark caverns and picked on the harvest moon every other year.."_

Sighing, a pink haired girl shut her particularly thick book and left her room. Being very studious can be a bit tiresome so a little reprieve wouldn't hurt.

Sakura was the most talented member of her family. By the age of five she already spoke comprehensible sentences and was doing algebra for fun. By the age of ten, her parents allowed her to compete on a nation-wide scale in martial arts and before she turned fifteen, she was already offered a full-ride scholarship to the most prestigious college in the country. Sakura, despite all of that, was still down to earth and realistic. She did not skip any years of schooling and made friends of all age brackets because of her warm personality but even hotter temper.

She was also quite the beauty, with her unusual pink hair and emerald eyes she was one who definitely stood out from the crowd. Never did she see the need to wear make-up aside from the fact that her family was too poor to afford such frivolity, she believed in beauty far beyond appearances which made her seem naive to some persons of a more condescending nature.

As of right now Sakura was attending Konoha State, a prestigious university that boasted the royal children coming here for their educational pursuits and had the toughest medical school that only the few and best graduated from. Sakura was ambitious enough to pursue such a goal and dreamed of becoming the best doctor the country ever saw and bring her family up in the social structure. She was standing on the first floor in gray pajama pants and a white tank top while shifting through her mail before one of heavier make caught her eyes.

It was traditionally made, the envelope was of a strong parchment sealed with a red-wax stamp and in front was her name in curvy, elegant scrawl. To her consternation there was no return address. Curious, she walked up a set of stairs towards her dorm room and broke the seal easily. Slowly, her eyes roved the lighter weighted parchment and gradually her eyebrows began to knit downwards. So much was she into her reading that she had not realized that she stopped a few feet from her room and was standing in the middle of the hallway,

"You're blocking me from getting to the bathroom on time." That cold, commanding voice snapped her back into reality and she sighed,

"Sasuke" She stepped aside but to her surprise, he stopped.

"You got one too" He mused, "Hn." He then continued on his way to the men's shower carrying a black towel and a shower caddy full of his exspensive shampoos and soaps.

Frowning, she watched as her friend made his way down the hall and disappear once he rounded the corner. Yeah he was an ass but over the years they came to better understand one another, through their various competitions growing up in academics and sports, to her short albeit stalker-ish obsession over him when she was younger. They were quite the pair, but never a couple which was fine with her, she rather loved being single and not tied to one person who would demand her attention she would otherwise put into studying.

Once again, she looked down at the soft parchment and re-read:

_Sakura Haruno,_

_You are hereby invited to attend a royal gathering at the Konoha Castle. We shall send a few servants to retrieve you a week from now, pack accordingly._

Straight and to the point. Sakura frowned thinking it odd that a formal invitation did not hold the verboseness most would assume a royal-stamped letter would carry. As she entered her room, she took in it's cramped quarters and brick covered walls. A periodic table of elements was on the wall adjacent to her bed while her desk was cluttered with her laptop, various papers, pens and the occasional green paper clips. Her small closet barely accommodated her clothes, shoes and mini refrigerator but even with the cramped space, this room was her private sanctuary that always calmed her nerves.

Sighing, she threw open her closet and mused aloud: "Pack accordingly." She repeated before whispering in a mixture of confusion and spite, "What the hell does that mean?"

-=-=-

Sakura let out another sigh of irritation as she glanced at her wrist watch. Both she, Sasuke and Naruto were standing outside in the middle of the vast courtyard the University boasted. The various types of fauna was often pictured at the front of the University's brochure and the numerous awards were displayed in its own trophy case near the entrance of the library. Usually such a grand place was filled with various students however that was not the case today. Today it was just them, each with their backpacks slung over their shoulders. The three of them both received invitations and all of them expressed their relief that they were going into another situation watching each other backs. It was gut instinct that drove them to pack ready for any given situation, there was something off about the beautiful but curt invitation they each received and the gods be damned if they were going into a such a place unprepared. They were a team through and through and no matter what, be it over-active imaginations or not, they were going to stick by each others side like they always have been since they were little.

The trio have been inseparable since upon their first meeting during elementary school, though it was a bit of a rocky start with Naruto and Sasuke constantly at each other's throats. Sakura had to come between them several times before fists were being thrown and the group never fell into place until a year later whereupon their parents enrolled them in karate and they competed in their first tournament against a rival dojo. Both Naruto and Sasuke were chosen to compete together in the team bracket by their sensei claiming that alone they were strong, together, if they worked as a team, they would be outstanding. They lost their first round which devastated the boys and from sheer determination, both Sasuke and Naruto fought their way to the top and won. Sakura, at that moment in time was not much of a fighter and lost in the first two rounds. She however excelled in the kata and weapons kata division where she had no equal.

Sakura couldn't imagine her life without those two numskulls.

"When are they going to show up?"

"Perhaps you should learn a little more patience." Sasuke kept both his eyes closed as he leaned against the old stone wall with his arms tightly crossed.

"Teme" Naruto began, "Sakura's right, we can't stand here waiting for them to get us all day! I could be going to my classes or at practice right now."

"Since when did you go to class dobe?"

"Enough" Sakura glared at each boy, "If they don't show up soon, I _am_ going to class and if they still want me, they can find me."

A powerful chill ran down the trio's spines and they immediately looked at one another. With senses on high alert, Naruto fell silent and Sakura tensed while a small tick formed in Sasuke's jaw. They all felt a strong group coming into the area at a rapid pace and the fight or flight instinct was kicking in.

"I haven't felt such power in a while" Sakura murmured.

"Hn" Sasuke's black eyes snapped open when four sets of feet softly landed before them.

The three young students wearily watched as the white-armored clad warriors formed rank, their expressionless masks meant for intimidation set the trio aback for a moment before they gathered their wits and watched as the new comers began walking towards them.

"You the bastards who're going to take us to the castle?" Ever eloquent and full of bravado, Naruto's loud exclamation carried across the empty courtyard and Sakura fought the urge to roll her eyes at her friend's mannerisms. "You're late"

The leader stepped forward, being the tallest of the group he posed an intimidating sight and he inclined his masked face,

"There was no specified time on your invitations so we could not possibly be late if a time was not agreed and set upon."

Before Naruto could yell, Sasuke spoke, "Are we to travel by foot?"

"Would that be a problem?"

The ANBU were testing them. Every part of her was screaming that this was carefully planned, as though to gauge their reactions and memorize them accordingly,

"You're the legendary ANBU" Sakura stated, "The royals secret soldiers meant to track and kill."

"Not much of a secret if you know about it" Naruto added with a smug look.

"Why is it, the royals would send ANBU to retrieve their guests?" Sasuke coldly added. "Wouldn't your normal servants suffice?"

"Under normal circumstances young Uchiha, then yes. As it is, you three are honored guests who are to be graced with the presence of the royals and the knowledge of where they live."

Sakura and Sasuke traded a look as Naruto plowed on,

"But why would they all of a sudden trust us to know where their place is?"

"They wouldn't dobe." Sasuke carefully watched the group, "They are to knock us out and carry us there."

Before Naruto could draw another breath, he fell to the ground like a rock, followed by Sakura and then Sasuke.

Each subordinate bent down and flung their respective charges over their shoulders and the one carrying Naruto grunted,

"These three are gonna be trouble I can feel it."

"Are you sure it's not the weight of the child that's getting to you and your old bones Shade?"

Shade did not reply and instead followed his leader as they once again took off with unparalleled speed and grace heading northwest and by the end of the day, they were at the castle and deposited their charges in separate chambers and locked their front doors.

They, as well as the other guests, needed to rest for come tomorrow they will no longer dream peacefully. Come tomorrow afternoon chaos will ensue and their life will never be the same.

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**So how is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction? Please give me feed back, I am a person who likes to improve so anything you can give me would be appreciated. **


	2. And so it Begins

**So thanks for the reviews and hopefully this chapter proves to be a more interesting read. ^^**

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Sakura awoke to an unfamiliar room and sighed. Rolling over the soft bed and silk sheets, she reached for her pack and and frowned. Pulling out all of her belongings she grew more irritated until every last item was removed.

"Fuck" Pulling out her mental check list she realized any and all electronic items were taken: her Ipod nano, her cell phone, her watch, even her digital camera was missing. Folding her clothes neatly, she began putting them back in her pack when a familiar static noise caught her attention.

"Sakura, can you read me?"

Letting out a small laugh, Sakura took out her only hairclip and used the sharper side to slice open a small, inconspicuous pouch on the side of her pack. Pulling out a small ear bud she smiled,

"Yes Naruto, you're coming in loud and clear."

"Great, now we need to find the teme."

"Sasuke can handle himself Naruto, we should turn off our lines until further notice. We still are not sure if we are yet in a hostile situation."

"HOSTILE?!"

Sakura flinched away from the high pitched frequency and threw it out of her ear onto the bed,

"How can knocking us out not count as hostile?! If I ever see them I'll-"

"Listen Naruto" Sakura harshly whispered, "The situation is still unknown. For this moment in time we are guests who accepted our invitations, so chill out and relax. Sakura out."

"But Sakura-"

Throwing the ear bud into her pack, she finally began to take in the room. Finely furnished with an antique mahogany armoire and matching bed set gave the room a polished elegance. The four-poster bed spired up and was draped in a heavy crimson fabric while strewn with various pillows and some of those where carefully strewn on the crème carpeted floor. Clean. Sakura barely glimpsed at the walk in closet and noticed that there was no bathroom.

"Not a suite" She murmured as she walked towards the big bay windows that overlooked the rose garden. It was early dawn, dark blue skies faded into a light lavender as it touched the horizon and everything was covered in a light morning dew that took her breath away, until her eyes caught something more interesting. The various roses took on a particular shape of an ancient family crest that no doubt belonged to the people residing in such a grand estate as this.

"Son of a bitch" Sakura knew who the royals were. Rapidly, she moved over to her pack and shouldered it. She had every intention on finding the library and hopefully avoiding any and all human contact.

"Sakura is that you?"

Unfortunately, she didn't get that far.

"Ino, what a pleasant surprise." Fortunately for Sakura, Ino missed her old friend's dry sarcasm.

=-=-=-=-

It was lunch time when all of the guests were assembled in the grand ballroom. Sakura was towards the back with Ino and TenTen.

"I am excited!" Ino smiled, "We are to see the royals and the Noble elite, this is a dream come true!"

TenTen laughed, "I don't care much for these people, all I am concerned about is the promise of free food and a good time." The two girls looked towards Sakura for her response and she hesitated,

"I only came because Naruto and Sasuke were going."

"Don't tell me you still have a crush on Sasuke!"

"No, Ino, I don't. They're my friends, if one of us goes somewhere unknown so shall the other two follow."

"What if one of you guys get married and move away, are you going to follow?" Ino looked incredulous, "You can't be together forever, I mean look at me and Shikamaru! He took off right after he promised me that once he turned sixteen he would come back and marry me."

Both TenTen and Sakura traded glances, neither daring to speak to the hard-headed blonde and allowed her to continue on her tirade until it abruptly stopped when a deep, tenor voice spoke,

"Troublesome woman, you haven't changed a bit."

"Oh no" Sakura looked towards Tenten who mouthed:

_Should we stop her?_

Subtly shaking her head the two girls watched as Ino rounded on her four inch heels with the fires of hell burning in her sapphire eyes.

"Bastard" She hissed as a sharp smack quieted the people surrounding the group. Nail marks were scratched across the chiseled features of one Nara Shikamaru while the manicured hand remained suspended in the air. Opening her mouth with every intention of ripping him a new one, she abruptly closed it when she realized she was too upset to form a coherent sentence and instead she choked out,

"Go to hell" Storming off through the crowd, she was quite the sight with her long hair swaying in tandem of every aggressive step she took.

"Long time no see" Sakura smiled.

"Don't tell me the great and lazy genius did not see that coming?" Tenten teased, "Loosing your touch?"

"No" He raked a hand through his shaggy brown locks and frowned when he realized that the band holding his hair was missing, "Troublesome woman took my hair band."

"She slaps you and you're worried about a hair band?" Sakura quirked an amused brow as she looked the lazy man up and down, "Wearing a suit to lunch?"

"With a crest no less." Tenten added, "You never told us you were a noble elite."

Slightly confused at the sudden changes of subject, Shikamaru waited for a moment before answering, "You guys never asked and yes I am wearing a suit to lunch. I'm not worried about her slapping me and it's troublesome having my hair down. I also anticipated her slapping me, I read in a book that the first step is anger, now if you'll excuse me..."

Sakura and TenTen watched their childhood friend disappear amongst the chattering crowd and smiled. Shikamaru has changed. There was a glint of steely determination in his dark eyes, an unrelenting preditor that only had eyes for the blonde bombshell. With that off-putting lazy gait one could easily miss the broad shouders and chest with the powerful legs to support it all. Good thing neither Sakura nor TenTen allowed that to escape their notice. Indeed, this lazy genius had something up his sleeve that silently spoke volumes, and Sakura was not sure how to respond to it.

TenTen looked around her and frowned, "I feel under dressed." TenTen pulled at the hem of her white t-shirt and looked at her navy colored jeans with random patchwork. Her sneakers were a faded grey with little traction due to the numerable months of wear and she clicked her heels together to further emphasis her state of dress.

"You and more than half of the guests here." Sakura waved her hand around and TenTen smiled,

"They are all in gowns and suits."

"Well the waiters are not" Winking at her friend, the girls shared a few giggles and commenced to further comment on the latest fashion trends with good humor.

Meanwhile, Naruto was busy bugging the hell out of Sasuke,

"Sakura and I were worried teme! You should have regrouped with us the moment you woke up!"

"Dobe, you're acting like this was an abduction."

"You're starting to sound like Sakura!" The blonde accused, "I don't like this."

"You don't like anything involving formal affairs Naruto" A silky voice interrupted, "And you're still as paranoid as ever."

"Teme tell your brother to mind his own business."

"Why Naruto I am hurt" The raven haired man stepped to the right of his little brother and handed him a champagne flute and took a sip of his own. His black eyes sparkled in mirth as he witnessed the blonde splutter and struggle to formulate coherent words. "Adorable little brother wouldn't you say?"

Sasuke shot a cold glare at his older brother and was further irritated when his brother gave him a small smirk.

"Well I think I'll leave the two of you alone, I believe there is a friend of yours whom I haven't seen in a while and I'm dying to reacquaint myself with her."

"If you so much as look at Sakura the wrong way-"

"You'll do what to me Naruto?" The stoic man cocked his head to the left to watch the blonde over his shoulder with a disinterested look. The three of them both knew who the better fighter was and how foolhardy it would be to pick a fight at this moment in time.

"Nothing" Sasuke smirked, "Because Sakura wouldn't leave much of you left for us to do anything further."

"Hn. I doubt that." Gracefully, he wove his way through the crowd while Sasuke and Naruto traded looks.

"So Sasuke."

"Hn."

"You weren't fond of your brother right?"

"Hn"

"In that case..." Naruto shifted his gaze and whispered conspiratorially, "Do you know any good places around here to hide his body?"

Smirking, Sasuke replied, "There's a man made lake near the western forest."

Cackling the blonde rubbed his hands together, "I like it."

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"Hello Sakura"

"Itachi-san" Sakura gave a small bow towards the tall man. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Hn."

Shaking her head she lightly commented, "You Uchihas are all the same; monosyllabic with a hint of a suave mysteriousness that drives most girls wild." Waving her hand she dismissed her previous sentence, "I digress, what are you doing here trying to strike up a conversation with me?"

Quirking his own brow, he smoothly answered, "Can't I say hello to my little brother's friend."

"By all means, however I know you well enough that you want something. Mingling with your little brother's friends in lieu of charming a lady to grace your bed this evening is not usually your style."

"What makes you think I don't have that intention already."

"Because, if you're as much of a genius as most claim you are then you know that I could rip out your balls and feed them to you before you take your next breath, now if you'll excuse me I have other people to better spend my time with." Handing him her mostly full champagne flute, she side-stepped the man sparing no backwards glance.

Twirling the glass between his thumb and forefinger, Itachi raised it in a mocking salute before knocking back the bubbly substance in one gulp. Finding a waiter, he deposited the empty glass and wove his way through the crowd where his little brother was sulking in the same dark corner this time without his companion .

"Little brother"

"Hn."

"You never told them, did you?"

"Hn"

Smirking, Itachi watched the various people amongst their cliques and spoke softly, "Do you believe that they will still be your friends after all of this is over?"

For once in a long while, Itachi could see uncertainty flood his little brother's otherwise stoic eyes and felt a pang of sympathy for him. Truly both Naruto and Sakura were the most loyal friends his little brother never asked for. Without them Sasuke would have fallen through the cracks of their vast family and probably be more distant and cold hearted than what he pretends to be now. However; once his long-kept secret gets out, it will test to what extent their friendship goes. This secret could possibly break the terrific trio apart, which was what Itachi was counting on. Together, they were a formidable team, broken...well they were only one person with their predictable strengths and weaknesses.

"I don't know."

Itachi turned his head, not sure if he quite caught what his brother said but seeing the bowed head and clenched fists Itachi reacted on his big-brother impulses. Turning around, he faced his brother and bent to his level,

"They are too stubborn to give you up as their friend." With one, single poke to his forehead, Itachi turned around and disappeared before Sasuke had time to look up.

-=-=-=-

It was fifteen minutes later where the invited guests found themselves spaced between various noble elite. The many dishes spread before them were all equally tasty and exotic which left a few guests hesitant and feeling quite uncomfortable especially when every plate called for its own silverware. Sakura, however was borderline annoyed. It wasn't because of the food or that Naruto was loudly complaining there was no ramen, no it was the people she had to sit between.

To her left was a male around her age with red facial markings who had the personality complex that he was kami's gift to women and all should fall for every cheesy line that came out of his mouth. Yeah right.

"Hey babe, you seem tense. What do you say after this is all over we both scratch an itch?"

Clenching her left hand under the table, she took a bite of her salmon before replying with a calmness she did not feel,

"First off, the name is not babe. Second off, I have no need to scratch anything but if you do you can get medication for fleas in the market."

Unperturbed, the brown haired male forged on, "You have a temper pinky, I wonder how-"

"If you finish that sentence Inuzuka-_san_" She hissed between clenched teeth, "Then you will be singing castrati for the rest of your miserable life, comprende?"

Backing off from the volatile female, the Inuzuka turned to a shy looking girl with beautiful dark hair and the most unusual pearl colored eyes.

"Hey babe..."

Taking a sip of water another conversation caught her attention. It was the noble sitting to the right of her with shaggy crimson locks and heavily lidded dark brown eyes. He could be considered pretty for a man, especially with his black painted fingernails and long, elegant fingers, but his features made him seem more like a child, that is until he spoke in a quiet, deep voice,

"Art is meant to last and be appreciated in the future; beauty endures the ages."

"Art is an explosion" Argued a long-haired blonde man directly across from the noble. One bang was covering his left eye while exposing the other outlined in black. "It is meant to be transient and is meant to depart quickly." His blue eye glinted and murmured loud enough for her to hear, "Nobles don't know anything about true art un."

Noticing the red-haired man tensing himself for another argument, Sakura turned her attention elsewhere. She knew when a discussion was going nowhere and the blonde hot-head and aloof redhead seemed ignorant of the fact.

Looking down at her empty plate, she found herself full but while looking around everyone else was still enjoying their meal.

"Need anything miss?" A waiter bent down to fill her glass and she smiled,

"Yes, is it rude for me to go to the bathroom?"

"Not at all miss" The waiter replied, "It is down the hall, second door on the left."

"Thank you".

-==-=-=-=-=-=

Sasuke watched his pink haired teammate depart and fought the urge to go after her and tell her to get out while she still could. He hated this barbaric tradition with a vehement passion.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Screw off Shisui."

"Dear cousin" Mocked the tall, lithe man, "This is a momentous occasion. You and your brother are supposed to be scoping out your targets not brooding."

"Hn."

Ruffling his cousin's hair, he chuckled before taking a seat towards the opposite end where his wife was. They looked perfectly content with one another, but if only the guests knew to what extent his cousin pursued that female then they would see the seemingly happy couple in a new light.

Disgusted, he was reminded of the female hanging off him and shoved her none-too-gently to the male next to her.

"Sasuke-kun" She whined playfully, "Don't play hard to get."

The red-headed bimbo was gradually grating on his nerves and it was only a matter of time before he takes his salad fork and stab her with it.

Thankfully he didn't have to further contemplate her murder when both of his parents stood up and tapped on the crystal goblet.

Immediately the entire place fell into silence and Sasuke's eyes immediately darted towards his blonde haired friend. Naruto caught his friend's look and curiously darted his eyes between the two people and him.

Sasuke's gut began to tighten and his palms began to slightly sweat just as his parents announced,

"We would like to thank everyone for coming on such a momentous day. As your king and queen we hope you enjoyed your stay in our castle and ate your fill."

Sasuke saw the recognition, disbelief and utter betrayal cross Naruto's features and felt as though he was kicked in the gut repeatedly. He shouldn't have kept this from them, why was he such a fool to think that his two best friends would never find out? Turning away, he spotted Sakura walking in and foolishly hoped that she hadn't put two and two together but judging by her look, she seemed a bit too calm as she quietly sat in her chair, knowing her, something in the castle tipped her off a lot sooner. He wanted to go over to both of them and apologize for never telling them he was of royal blood, but he was an Uchiha and Uchiha's never apologized even if they royally fucked up and knew it.

"-this tradition dates back hundreds of years and allows the lower class to elevate themselves in the form of finding your significant other." Fugaku looked around with his stern frown before continuing, "However the courting is a bit more unorthodox. The invited guests who are not Noble elite will be given a half an hour to prepare and run. When that time limit is up the noble elite will pursue. If one noble deems you unsuitable and catches you then your life is forfeit. If caught and the noble approves then you will be bonded soon afterwards."

"What if we don't approve of the person who caught us, do we not have a say in this?" Sakura stood up from her seat and easily matched Fugaku's icy glare with one of her own. "This barbarism is uncalled for, surely a noble elite could find their own significant other like most citizens do."

"Tradition states-"

"Tradition is like art un. It is transitory and not meant to last." The blonde man piped up. "If we are being pursued I'll have it known right now that I will not be taken down easily un."

"If they're allowed to use any means of force then so shall I. I have the right to defend myself." TenTen spoke up.

"Very commendable" Fugaku sneered at the three, "If you are able to get off this island then you will not be pursued."

"How can you tell if we got off then?" Naruto also stood up, "And how long does this thing last?"

"While all of you were being transported by our ANBU we implanted a chip that will tell us weither or not you remain on the island, and it lasts until every noble has their target acquired."

"This is bullshit" Naruto exclaimed, "And if you think any of us will give in to you nobles then think again because I am not going to be caught, believe it!"

Not impressed by the blonde's speech or others Fugaku looked at his watch and coldly answered, "Your time starts now."


	3. Confrontation

**So thanks for the reviews guys, I really appreciate hearing feedback, sorry if I cannot personally answer your messages but know that each one brought a smile on my face. SO thanks once again and please enjoy chapter two.**

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Sakura looked incredulous while everyone scrambled out of the main dining room opting for the every-man-for-himself strategy. The blonde, Diedara, jumped out of the second story window while TenTen and Ino snuck into the kitchen door to the far right corner. Eventually it left her, Naruto and Sasuke alone.

"Teme" Naruto growled, "What. The. Fuck?" He punctuated his words with a step towards his raven-haired friend, hands clenched and eyes flashing dangerously.

"We don't have time for explanations Naruto." Sakura diverted the heated glare Sasuke was receiving, "We need to get our stuff and get out. You get our packs and I'll see what I can get from the kitchens. Meet back here in ten minutes."

"Got it." Casting one last spiteful glare towards Sasuke, Naruto took off.

"Sakura-"

"Save it Sasuke, I am not in the mood for your explanations nor do I have the time." She looked at him with sad eyes, "I thought we were best friends. We told each other everything but this-this thing you failed to mention brings to question everything I thought I knew about you. Did you not trust us after ten fucking years of friendship? Or were you just hoping that we'd never find out?" Sakura kept her back to him fighting back her unshed tears, "You know everything about us and you used that trust and deceived us-"

"I never confirmed nor denied who I was" Sasuke angrily argued, "You never asked!"

"Withholding information like that seems closely related to lying." She counter-argued.

"And we never once tried to force you into telling us about yourself" Naruto walked in and threw Sakura's pack which she easily caught, "As friends, we knew that when you were ready you would tell us anything."

"What if I wasn't ready to tell you I was from a royal bloodline? What if I thought it would change our friendship?!"

"Then you never really knew us" Sakura softly responded, "C'mon Naruto, we only have fifteen minutes left before they release their hounds."

Watching them leave rendered Sasuke weak. His stomach felt like he was punched repeatedly while his heart clinched to the point were he swore he was having a mini-heart attack. His two best friends, the only ones who accepted him, personality and all turned their backs without a backwards glance. He was left in an empty dinning hall feeling like he was less than two inches tall and shrinking with every shallow breath he took and all he wanted to do was run after them. He accepted the fact that he was at fault and they did react to the extent that he was expecting, but it did not at all prepare him for the torturous pain he was currently experiencing.

"It hurts" His whispered words bounced off the vaulted ceiling. Collapsing onto his hands and knees Sasuke stared at the bluish vein running diagonally across the marble tile while contemplating his redemption. A firm hand squeezed his shoulder but he still did not look up.

"Life is an adventure in forgiveness, give them time little brother and they will come back." Looking up, Sasuke watched as his brother donned fingerless leather gloves and moved a hand in front of Sasuke's face. For a second, he hesitated before accepting his older brother's hand and allowing himself to be yanked back unto his feet.

"Now drop your balls and go after that blonde." Itachi smirked before turning on his heel and joining the red-headed Sasori at the entrance of the room. The tolling of the bronze bell in the north tower signaled that the thirty minute window has closed and neither Sasori nor Itachi wasted time. Sasuke, in the mean time walked towards the open window and watched as various nobles donned their hunting gear and recruited various ANBU. The search for their life-partner was a serious matter and most of them already knew who they wanted, through many years of watching their targets this was their moment to catch them. It was never really a coincidence that certain people were invited to such a party as this, all the nobles including Sasuke knew that. It was when they were ready to have them that the invitations were sent out

It surprised the young Uchiha that Sakura received an invitation. To his better knowledge, no noble had approached him for information but then again his gut was telling him that it wasn't just any noble out for his friend.

"Itachi I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." He smirked as an image of the pink-haired firecracker beating the pulp out of his little brother came up. What he would do just to see that happening. More to the point, with her fiery personality and his brother's cool mannerisms it seemed impossible that the two would coexist well enough to pass off as a couple or stable enough to be the next king and queen of the entire country.

He snorted, Sakura a queen. The idea of her being quiet and docile like his mom seemed so horribly disproportionate that he silently contemplated just who the queen of the relationship would be. However neither his brother nor Sakura were known for giving up once their minds were set and both were equally above the genius category and each excelled in the finer points of martial arts. Despite their outward persona's, they truly had a lot more in common than upon first inspection; perhaps, as Sasuke further contemplated, it would be a perfect match after all.

"Yen for your thoughts?"

Sasuke watched as his father approached out of the corner of his eye. Neither man were known for prolonged speaking, but Sasuke knew his father loved both of his sons and did not need to praise them often for they could tell how proud their father was of them.

"I'm thinking about Itachi" Sasuke answered. "He's pursuing my friend."

Nodding, his father responded, "She is quite outspoken and independent." He watched his son for a moment and further added, "Your brother has been intrigued by her since your tenth birthday party."

"That was eight years ago."

"Hn." Fugaku smiled upon the memory, "I remember him coming home with a most peculiar expression on his face. It was a mixture of disbelieve and confusion, your mother had to go into the other room to stifle her laughter." He caught his son's eyes and smirked, "For a day all we could get out of him was: insufferable little brat. At first we thought you had done something with that Uzamaki kid, maybe pulled a prank or something but as months progressed we noticed that he was paying you visits at the academy far too often especially if you did, in fact, pull a prank on him. Your mom was the first to figure it out when she was rearranging books in the study. A picture of Sakura fell out of Itachi's Atlas and your mom has been doing nothing but plotting with your older brother since."

Sasuke softly smiled, "She was mad that Itachi wasn't partaking in the games. She even brought him cake but he said something that greatly upset her and she threw the cake into his face while yelling at him. Naruto and I were laughing so hard our stomachs hurt the day after."

"Speaking of Naruto," Fugaku stepped away from the window, "When will you go after him?"

"In a day or two. I'm anticipating that he will eventually come to me."

"How did you come up with that conclusion?"

"Because he has a bone to pick with me and he's going to stew on it until it becomes too much."

"Hn, in that case, your mother would like for you to join her with the others. Cameras have been set up throughout this land and everyone is enjoying the show."

=-=-=-

Sakura and Naruto found themselves in the far west-wing library of the Uchiha castle when the bell tolled. Naruto was leaning against a dusty reading desk while watching Sakura grab books and rip out various pages.

"Ne, Sakura-chan" Naruto whispered, "We don't have time, we will get caught."

Sakura ripped out another page of a leather-bound book and put it back on its shelf, "No, Naruto we will not get caught. Everyone is counting on the fact that their targets are running to the forests, who in their right mind would linger in the castle?"

"Us" Naruto chuckled, "But we never claimed to be in the right mind anyways."

"Done" Turning to her blonde companion she sadly smiled, "The island is twenty nine miles from the mainland so swimming is out of the question. We could attempt to build a boat however the likelihood of being caught by those bastards go up exponentially."

"So our only hope is to remain quiet and out of the way until they give up?"

Sighing Sakura caught Naruto's glint, "Neither of us are known for our patience but for the time being that is the best plan I can come up with."

"Well then, lets head to the armory" Naruto smiled, "It is going to take the bastards a long ass time to bring us down."

"I also want to go here." Sakura unfolded a map that showed the entire layout of the castle and pointed to a big room labeled: The Viewing Chamber. "I have a gut feeling that we should see what is in there."

"That's on the main floor Sakura, it is crawling with guards and other nobles."

"Which is why we will go there at three in the morning. Most of them will be sleeping and the remaining few, if we encounter them, will be handled accordingly." Noticing the distant look in Naruto's eyes, Sakura reached and grabbed his hand, "Naruto-"

"He lied to us Sakura."

"I know Naruto." Sakura softly whispered. "But now is not the time..."

"Then when will be the time Sakura? When we get captured and forced into marriages with people we don't love?! I don't run. Never."

Sakura was well aware of his horrible childhood and knew that Naruto hated the feeling of being hunted down and cornered like some sort of animal, but that is what you get for growing up on the streets. He was in a filthy grey shirt and torn pants when she had first met him. His face was smudged with dirt and grime, and being the shy little girl with no friends, she hid behind the slide at the park. Her parents weren't with her, they were working to keep a roof over their heads and they told her to stay put but it was such a beautiful day that she had to go to the park.

Naruto went up to her, curious of the little girl with a big forehead and introduced himself. Sakura and him became instant friends and she gave him her dad's orange t-shirt and some ramen while she showed him around the nearly debilitated apartment. Since then the duo was inseparable to the point where her parents eventually adopted the blonde haired boy. He no longer had to run or fight for survival and she had found her first true friend. For that moment in time everything fell into place and she was happy. It didn't matter that they were living in a small apartment or that she and Naruto had to take turns sleeping on the bed. She and Naruto had all they needed and no matter what, they knew that the other was never far from the other.

"I know."

"I...I...You remember when I fell on top of Sasuke and we erm...kissed?"

Perplexed at where this was heading, Sakura started extinguishing the candles and waited for him to continue.

"What if I told you there were a few other...incidents...like that?"

Sakura turned on her heel, "What?!"

"Yeah" he looked at her sheepishly.

Before Sakura could formulate a proper response a kunai was spinning towards her and easily she caught it mere inches from her heart. Her soft eyes immediately became sharp and Naruto rapidly spun on his heel to come face-to-face with,

"Itachi." Naruto hissed while immediately jumping towards the tall man. Sakura meanwhile pocketed the kunai and maneuvered herself behind a book case near both men. With an uncanny easiness, Sakura pushed the shelf over forcing both men to jump back and soon enough all that accumulated dust covered the room in a thick grey cloud.

The loud noise of the book case hitting the floor alerted nearby guards and when they opened the door they immediately closed their eyes and began coughing allowing for both Sakura and Naruto to make a quick escape down the hall until they found a laundry shoot to slide down.

Landing on the cold, stone floor Naruto pulled Sakura up, "Now what?"

"There's a series of tunnels leading to various areas of the Castle grounds." Unrolling her map she pointed at various areas, "Our best bet is to take this one that goes under the lake and comes out in the middle of the forest. It's supposedly blocked off because the area underneath the lake is said to be unstable and could collapse at any given moment."

"I liked the idea until the collapse part."

Sakura rolled up the map and looked at him, "This entire area would have been flooded it that were the case. Behind that shelving unit is the beginning of the tunnel, and it's completely dry."

"Well, I trust you Sakura." Naruto pushed aside the shelves and motioned for her to enter. When she did he pulled the shelves back and pulled out his zippo.

"Creepy."

Cobwebs clung to the ceiling as a musty, mildew smell assaulted their nose. The faint pitter patter of water drops hitting the uneven ground made Sakura feel like the walls were a bit too close together.

Taking a deep breath, she griped Naruto's hand and he squeezed it back reassuringly.

"It's all right Sakura-chan, I'm here" He whispered near her ear and she nodded while trying to even out her breathing.

Slowly opening her eyes, she let go of Naruto's hand and motioned for him to lead the way.

-==-=-=-=-

Deidara watched the horizon as the harsh spray from the sea crashed up from the rocky depths below. The sea was a tumultuous grey, waves thirty feet in height were doing their best to reach him from the edge of the cliff but always fell short. Despite the thunder crashing in rhythm to the waves, Deidara remained unflinching.

He wasn't going to run and become the hunted, it just wasn't his style. Deidara faced his problems head on and usually without thinking. His father always said that he had more balls than brains.

Frowning at the far off memory, Deidara pulled out a pack of kunai he swiped from a guard during the chaos and deftly tossed one over his shoulder and wasn't the least surprised to hear an answering clang a few seconds later.

"Bang" He smirked. Jumping off the cliff, he barely missed the explosion that rocked the area and easily landed on a jagged boulder as various pieces of debris soon followed.

"You think I'm that stupid?" A cold voice stated from above.

Shrugging his shoulders Deidara looked up and flipped the bastard off, "Yeah." Turning around, Deidara jumped from rocky outcrop to the next until he found himself on the shoreline and slowly turned around.

"So are we gonna do this or are you just standing there to look pretty jackass?"

"I hope I kill you during this."

"Ditto" Deidara sneered.

-=-=-=-

Ino stomped her foot and aggravation, "Nara Shikamaru!" She screeched, "I do not give a damn about your delusions of grandeur."

"Troublesome woman, you are to come with me."

If anyone were to label Ino it would be pig-headed, and grugingly she would admit it. Despite having a drop dead brunette standing in front of her claiming her as his, she wasn't willing to roll over and allow him to pat her belly. Not yet, he'd have to work for her forgiveness and that will not come until some long over due payback is fully handed out.

So she changed her demeanor and sashayed her hips while walking up to him pouting. "I am so sorry Shika. I've missed you and I don't know how to react."

Shikamaru wearily watched her approach. He knew that this sudden emotional change, though typical of her, was not without reason. However watching her as she moved closer, rendered him brain dead and all he could do was feel the girl he's been dreaming of as she touched him.

Tracing circles on his chest, she looked into his eyes and stood on her tip toes barely touching his lips she whispered, "But now I do..." Kneeing him in the family jewels, she swiped his weapons pouch and took off while angrily mumbling

"Leave me for five fucking years and expect me to roll over and allow you to claim me? Over my dead body!"

-=-=-=

The soft patter of rain soon became a down pour as Itachi waited near the exit, his sharp eyes never straying from that spot. A small shift behind him alerted him that his brother was becoming increasingly restless,

"Patience little brother" Spotting a head of blonde hair he smirked. "They're here."

Sakura and Naruto knew something was wrong when they left the tunnel.

"Fuck!" Naruto barely blocked a side kick while Sakura bent backwards to avoid one herself. Loosing her footing in the muddy ground, she threw her arms behind to give herself enough leverage to kick at her assailant's jaw. He easily dodged and both Sakura and Naruto found themselves twenty feet away from their attackers.

"Sasuke-teme"

Sakura brushed her bangs away from her face and frowned upon spotting both Sasuke and Itachi watching them keenly.

"Naruto." She whispered.

"On it." Taking off, Naruto kicked up mud and pulled his arm back ready to deal a blow to Sasuke's stomach but before he can, Sasuke blocked and went to retaliate.

"You fucking bastard" Naruto hissed as Sasuke landed a front kick to his kidneys. "Why the hell are you after Sakura?!"

"She's not who I want to spend the rest of my life with Naruto." Sasuke spat out blood and wiped his split lip, "It's you dobe."

Sakura fought the temptation to look at the two. Itachi was smirking as though he knew something she didn't. Knowing the jerk, he probably did, and that's when it hit her,

"Naruto it's a trap!" Snapping her head in his direction, she watched him falter in a step as he caught her words.

Her hair,unbound, wrapped behind her in the wind and she barely jumped away from Itachi's assault. The small sting on her cheek alerted her just how close he got and she narrowed her eyes. Though sorely tempted to beat his ass into the muddy ground, reinforcements were bound to come. Sparing a glance over her shoulder she saw Naruto being surrounded by three masked men.

"Naruto!" Her knees almost buckled under the heavy scissor kick he delivered and she managed to catch his punch in enough time to use his forward momentum and propel him into the ANBU.

"Sakura, go! I got this."  
"You idiot!" She ran and grabbed his arm, nearly dragging him away from the fray. "I'm not leaving without you."

Naruto looked over his shoulder and frowned. Planting his heels into the earth he gave her a stern look, "listen Sakura, we can't both get out of this. One of us has to stay behind while the other escapes, it is our only option that those temes left us." Gently removing her hand from his forearm, he unclapsed his bracelet she made him a few years back and handed it over. "I will come back for it." He promised with such a genuine look that Sakura believed him for a short while. "I love you Sakura-chan." Slowly be bent down and delivered a soft kiss to her forehead. This was a gesture he made when she was younger and felt self-conscious over her billboard brow, he would just laugh and say her forehead was perfect while kissing it.

"Love you too Naru-chan" She murmured before taking off into the thick foliage trying to hide her tears but knowing him, despite the down pour, Naruto could still tell the difference between rain and tears.

Sharply turning, Naruto's eyes flashed at the approaching males. He wasn't terrified of facing four powerful males, and though he knew the odds were greatly stacked against him, Naruto will fight until the bitter fucking end and unfortunately they just threw him into a corner, which is when he was the most dangerous. Giving a feral smirk he saw Sasuke falter in his step. Sasuke knew first hand that when given no more options, Naruto became something more than human.

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**wow so things are starting to finally pick up, I wonder what will happen next? Will Sasuke over power Naruto and claim him? And will Itachi finally meet his match?**

**Sorry there is going to be some maleXmale pairings going on from here on in.**


	4. Ino Strikes a Deal

**So I want to thank everyone for their words of encouragement ^^ It helps bolster my big ego ;)

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Tenten's hair was a complete mess, she was covered in both her blood and the infuriating male's before her and she was quickly becoming irked with every knowing glint that smug bastard showed. She especially loved it when he mocked her speed.

Narrowing her eyes, she carefully watched and circled away from him. The white-eyed man had deadly hands, her limp left arm could attest to that.

"Why do you want me?" She needed to buy time and lowering herself to B movie dialogue suited her just fine.

"Do you not remember me?"

Oh great he's strong and a stalker, yup he's sure a winner, she thought, "No, so answer my question."

"First grade, I was the creepy kid with the weird eyes that no one wanted to play with. You and Lee forced me onto your soccer team and for that year at recess we would play until I moved away."

Tenten frowned as a fuzzy memory made itself known and she recalled that awkward, silent kid who was a mean defender.

"Still..."She hesitated, "Just because I was nice to you in no way justifies this!"

"Au contraire," Tenten gasped as Neji disappeared and reappeared behind her. His warm breath ghosting the shell of her ear, "There's a lot more." Pressing a delicate pressure point on her neck, Neji caught the unconscious girl in his arms and looked at her calm face. She was finally his.

=-=-

Sakura sat in a tree branch with her arms wrapped around herself, crying and shaking. She felt so alone in a world that seemed hell bent on kicking her until she was down and out. Why her? Whispered through her mind, but as soon as it came, she shook her head, no, she refused to give into that pity-party bullshit, Naruto would be disappointed in her and she really hated pity, no matter what form it took.

Lighting flashed then cracked across the sky and Sakura couldn't help but feel more alone, more insignificant than she ever did in her life. Her brother was captured and she abandoned him to those bastards. For once in twelve years, she didn't have Naruto by her side. She didn't have that constant familiarity she depended so heavily on especially in unknown situations.

The wind began to pick up and howl viciously and Sakura snapped her attention to the present. Now was not a time to dwell upon her loneliness, though she dearly wanted too, she had to get out of this weather and find shelter. Straightening her posture on a thick pine branch, Sakura shouldered her pack and scanned the surrounding area, there was a cave to the north, however; the faint light coming from it told her it was occupied and she couldn't chance another trap, not while her wounds were fresh. Flexing her fingers, she winced at the pain, he could've snapped her arm in half but he didn't. Some might call that chivalrous, but to Sakura she'd call it stupid.

Speaking of which, Sakura drew the dagger she lifted from Itachi and easily swung it out effectively blocking a kunai. The dark glint of the polished metal reflected the four pronged lightning that clashed against the black clouds as well as the red eyes of one Itachi Uchiha.

"Don't you ever give up?" She flawlessly jumped from branch to branch with him in hot pursuit. The rain pelting her face felt like a thousand needles piercing her skin and her lips trembled slightly. She knew she was getting into the early stages of hypothermia but she wouldn't stop until this bastard was put into his place.

Trying to come up with a strategic battle plan, Sakura slipped on a branch and fell to the ground. Closing her eyes upon instinct she was surprised to be caught in a strong embrace,

"You're the girl who sat next to Sasori un. Having trouble with another bastard?" He let her down and watched the panther-like movements of the raven haired man.

"Leave us be."

"Usually I would" Diedara drawled, "But my dancing partner is rather lame at this moment in time, I'm sure pinky wouldn't mind me cutting in un."

"Definitely not" She replied.

"Hn, I am not in the mood to deal with you."

Deidara cocked his head to the side, "There's something about you that I terribly hate un." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder, "And there's something about saving damsels in distress that seals the deal."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I don't need saving."

"Pinky," Deidara began, "I raided an abandoned warehouse and found all the C4 any man like me could dream about. Testing it on the prince asshole seems logical and if I could use the excuse of saving a person then I will un." Tossing a pouch to her he then stated, "Get out of here or I will blow you up too."

Sakura gave him a peculiar look and nodded. She was far too tired, the weather was far too horrible for her to even want to fight the bastard and if the crazy hot head wanted to take on the prick, far be it for her to deny him of that.

Taking off, she felt the shock wave of an explosion and a murmured curse between clangs of metal.

-=-=-=-=-

Ino really, really hated her conscience right now, "Sasuke!" Sasuke faltered in his movements as his blonde ex-fan girl ran between him and the battered blonde. Smirking she winked at Naruto who caught the pack Ino threw, "Beat the bastard Naruto." Blowing a kiss at Sasuke, she made to run but was stopped by a solid object who wrapped his arms around her.

"Go ram it." She lifted her arms and with his loosened hold, threw him over her shoulder, "Take the hint Shikamaru, you lost your chance with me." Regrouping near Naruto's side, everyone braced themselves as a nearby explosion rocked the area.

"Sakura."

"Forehead will be fine, we have bigger fish to fry." Keeping her icy gaze on the two males she frowned as they watched the duo with a critical eye. "I call Sasuke." She replied.

"Are you insane?" Her fellow blonde hissed, "He's stronger than you by leaps and bounds."

"That's what I'm counting on, keep your back to my fight at all times Naruto, make sure Shika sees all of it."

"Divide and conquer" Naruto whispered with dawning realization. A new respect for Ino swelled in his chest and he couldn't be more hopeful that escape was back within his reach.

"I love being a bitch." Launching herself straight for Sasuke, Ino pulled back a punch only to stop halfway through in favor of sweeping his feet out from under him. Sasuke however was faster and easily jumped back.

"I always knew you were gay Sasuke." She taunted, "So desperate to be bottom eh? What's the matter? Whores wont take your money so now you're hunting down your best friend? Then again if I had that small of a penis I would have a chip on my shoulder as big as yours."

With every passing comment, Sasuke began seeing red, he no longer cared that the man who wants her is his friend, it didn't matter that she was weaker than him. No, what mattered was shutting the bitch up. She. Knew. Nothing.

Shikamaru lazily dodged every blow the blonde tried throwing however Shikamaru's own attacks were doing nothing for the other either. Within moments of this tiresome pattern of miss and dodge, Shikamaru's concentration was scattered as Ino's painful cry broke through the horrible down pour. Looking just over Naruto's shoulder he witnessed as Sasuke landed a solid kick to Ino's spine and his stomach churned when she landed on the muddy ground, her arm awkwardly angled enough to tell him it was broken.

"Ino!" Bypassing Naruto, he ran to her side where she was coughing up blood, "Ino!" He breathed into her hair as he held her tightly.

"Run" She choked out.

Frowning, he messaged her scalp before turning spiteful eyes to the shocked Uchiha who was looking down at the two,

"What the hell man?" He slowly got up, cradling her to his chest. Her painful cry made his heart stutter, "It's okay Ino" He whispered, "Everything will be all right."

"I-"

"Save it." He whispered while wincing at seeing the bone protrude from her arm and blood seep out from the torn flesh. "Sasuke, she couldn't hold a candle to you, why didn't you just knock her out? This is all so troublesome."

"I was so mad, what she said..."

Shikamaru couldn't remove his gaze from the now unconscious girl, "Kami help you if you dare show your face in the next month, I will not be held responsible for what may come of you" Finally looking into the dark eyes of Sasuke he spat, "You need to control your temper Sasuke because if this is what happens when you loose it then I don't want to stick around."

Sasuke watched as Shikamaru walked in the direction of the castle before his attention snapped back to the present. Turning his head, he cursed, Naruto disappeared.

Angrily running his hand through his hair he looked into the darkened sky and yelled to the heavens.

Today was not his best day.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Ino came into the realm of consciousness once Shikamaru left her on his bed in search for a doctor. Wincing as she sat up, she did a mental victory dance. _ And the winner for best acting goes to Yamanaka Ino!_ Yeah sure her broken arm and perhaps a few bruised ribs were a far cry from good health, but most of the pain and the coughing she portrayed was pure skill. Her broken arm didn't hurt near as bad but then again she dare not look or think too much on the matter. Which brought up the person who sent her here,

"Sasuke." When pissed, he terrified her especially when he came at her with such uncontrolled force and for a moment she thought back on the many times Sakura went toe to toe with him and didn't look nearly as bad as she did right now. Then again, Sakura grew up fighting for everything while Ino had stability and didn't learn how to fight until a few years ago. Even then she didn't dedicate too much time in the martial arts.

The loud crack of thunder caught her attention and she looked out the window. Her best friends were out in this weather alone. Tenten, though tomboyish in nature, did not know how to start a fire without matches and Hinata was a meek little thing that could not kill an animal even if necessity dictated to do so. Sakura was a harder case to follow, and Ino can grudgingly admit that she didn't follow her friend too closely when it came to anything outside the realms of: shopping, boys and parties.

What kind of friend was she?

"The troublesome kind."

Ino snapped her head back with her heart racing. Seriously, when did he get back?

Slowly stepping towards her, he sat down on the edge of the bed with an ice pack in his hand. Gently he took her broken arm and wrapped the icepack around it.

"You have always eluded any kind of sense I try to make of you Ino." He softly whispered as he began to wrap tape around the pack and swollen arm. "For a moment you seem so self-centered and the next you willingly put yourself in harm's way to help your friend's friend. A person whom you barely knew." He captured her baby blues with his chocolate eyes, "You claim you don't like me and never will and yet your heart is beating rapidly." Shikamaru touched her pulse point on her wrist, "Please Ino, I want to know the truth, this is getting rather troublesome."

Swallowing, Ino tried to regain her composure, "I don't know what you're talking about Shikamaru" She tore her gaze away from his penetrating eyes and became rather fixated on the writing table across the room.

"Damnit Ino" He hissed, "Do you love me or don't you?"

How dare he? Ino thought. With eyes blazing he looked back at him and returned his tone with a cold one of her own, "How dare you ask me that? After abandoning me with no letters or anything and then all of a sudden you appear and we can go back to the way things were?! No, I don't think so Shikamaru!" Waving her good arm around, she tried to stop her tears from leaking out but to her frustration they did and she cried more, "I loved you then Shikamaru and I waited a whole damn year for anything from you and when that didn't happen I went into a fucking depression wondering what the hell was wrong with me! I felt so alone and useless." She brokenly whispered the last sentence not daring to look him in the eye, "And I gave up all hope of there ever being an 'us' and convinced myself it was all me misinterpreting our interactions, that I read too deep into things."

Choking out a mocking laugh she furiously wiped her tears away, "Then here you come with the idea that I still thought I loved you when, in fact, I am feeling so many emotions I don't know which way is up anymore."

"I never meant to hurt you."

"Well yeah sometimes the best of intentions go awry" She dryly remarked.  
"Is there anything I can do?"

"You can let me go" She whispered.

"You know I can't Ino."

Sighing, she closed her eyes and lent against the mahogony head board. "I know Shika. Just give me some time to myself."

"I can't do that either."

"What do you think I will do with a broken arm and bruised ribs? Jump out of a five story window and try to escape? Forehead may be that crazy but I am not." Ino felt the bed shift and flinched when he lightly touched the bruise forming on her lower right jaw. "I promise I will not escape, you can have guards posted here but I need time Shika."

"Tradition dictates that we get married a week after capture" He removed his hand from her jaw in lieu of taking out her hair band and threading his fingers through her muddy, golden locks "I want to reacquaint myself with you Ino. I admit we're nearly strangers now but I still feel that same troublesome connection that we had years ago. Please allow me to show you what I can do for you as your life-mate, please give me a second chance Ino because I don't want to start off our marriage full of regret and spite."

Ino knew he was being genuine and truly regretted that events had to unfold as they did, but that didn't make her less weary, "All right Shikamaru, show me, but after giving me a day to myself, that's all I ask."

"Done."

=-=-=-=-=-=-

Sakura was more than thankful to get out of the rain and was more than happy that she put a significant amount of distance between herself and Itachi.

Why he even wanted her was beyond her comprehension. She could easily count on both hands how many times she's interacted with him, of those times she distinctly remembered only three in which they carried on a multiple sentence chat. Also, she was nowhere near the caliber of prettiness the Noble Elite exuded and she knew she didn't have the mannerisms to properly fit into their world. So that begged the question: was he just doing this to irritate his little brother? She wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

Yes, she was smart and yes she had exotic features but realistically speaking a person like him never meshed well with a person like her. For Kami's sake, he is the heir to the entire empire! She couldn't imagine herself in such a high-profile situation it was just not her. She was all too content with allowing people like Naruto or Sasuke to take most of the glory in the most showy manner possible. Sakura enjoyed subtleness in whatever she did, if she garnered any attention it was not because she intentionally drew it to herself but rather it was others praising her skill. Okay sometimes she was as much a hot-head as her temperamental blonde, but to be fair, it was not towards other people, only Naruto and Sasuke.

Closing her eyes, she allowed the distant thunder and patter of rain lull her to sleep

_Sakura was breathing heavily as a strong pair of arms lovingly encircled her waist. The masculine hands gently rubbed her hip bones and she melted into the embrace with a feeling of utter contentment. In a passing thought, she acknowledged that she was standing near a huge window naked with an equally naked and aroused man behind her but she could careless if the world saw her like this. All that mattered was this small moment._

"_Sakura" The husky voice gently nipped her ear and she giggled._

_Turning slowly into the embrace Sakura looked up and saw two onyx pools looking at her with a burning need that she felt deep within her bones. Slowly, she stood on her tip toes and brushed her pale pink lips across his astonishingly soft ones,_

"_Take me."_

_

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**Hmm such an interesting dream no? I wanted to put more of a Sakura-Itachi interaction but my gut told me it wasn't right, at least not yet. In fact, for some bizarre reason, Ino and Shikamaru kind of became the focus of this tale. Plus I wanted to incorporate Diedara's hate for Itachi like in the Manga. It is interesting that both Naruto and Sakura both keep being saved by people isn't it? Hmm, penny for your thoughts?**_


	5. Blue versus Black

**Hey guys, sorry for dragging this out, I have about two more chapters planned for this story before it becomes officially complete. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy this filler.

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Sakura grit her teeth, "I really hate meeting like this" Kicking him in the stomach she spun away her fists raised to her head ready to counter whatever the tall man threw at her.

This week was going as planned, she avoided meeting anyone of noble blood and she was slowly building herself a raft of sorts to get off the damn island. However, as more and more people were either found or killed, it meant extra warriors for the ones who were able to elude detection. From the scroll she swiped she was more than elated to know that her brother and that blonde guy who saved her were both unaccounted for. She was the only female out of five remaining males and was at the top of the list for capture as decreed by the king, who also made Naruto's capture right below hers.

She dearly wanted to find Naruto, but spending that amount of energy on such a vast piece of land would only hurt them more in the end. Once she finished the boat, she planned on spending a day finding him and hopefully make their escape together.

Casting a baleful glance towards her broken raft, she sharply focused on the raven haired man and deftly avoided a punch and in turn did a back fist to his skull. However, he caught her wrist, and before she could think, he twisted her arm behind her back and pinned her to a tree.

"I think it's about time you gave up Sa-ku-ra." His hot breath brushed her ear and he tightened his grip when she shifted weight.

"Bite me" She ground out.

Itachi smirked, "Don't tempt me" He gently nipped her ear before slowly kissing his way down her neck until he rested his lips on her pulse. "I've been waiting on this for a while Sakura." He murmured between licks and nips. Softly he began to ground his pelvis into her rear and she bit back a moan. The man's raw sexuality and hypnotic voice sent an electric tingle down her spine. How could such a man exist? Strong, smart and sexy, the three deadly S's built into one being, a man perfect in every way and she was more than willing to bet that extended into the bedroom as well.

Sakura could just imagine those sinful lips caressing every inch of her skin, his hands traveling everywhere and rendering her nerve endings on fire. She could see herself selling her soul just to experience the carnal act with the male Adonis for one unforgettable night.

How she desperately wanted to give into her body's urgings but this was Sasuke's brother for kami's sake! He was a world re-known fighter in his own right and the heir to the thrown. Like any other girl she crushed on both brothers at one point in her life but the harsh reality of the world made it all seem like some muddy memory and she dare not hope that she'd amount to nothing more than a fuck buddy for this man.

Nothing more than a whore to be used and tossed aside once Itachi found someone better. For a brief moment, Sakura felt her heart clench in agony knowing that she would never be good enough. How could she ever hope to be anything more than that anyways? She was born into a lower class family with no ties to a noble bloodline, she was more of a tomboy than a woman by nature and she lacked any refined mannerisms. Hell, she didn't even know how to sip her soup properly! All she knew was how to survive in an unkind world, she knew how to interact with shop owners and teachers, she knew how to fight and was learning how to heal. She had plans to have a career and was not made for the idle life that noble wifes often led. Taking care of hearth and home? Sakura mentally scoffed at the idea, no thank you. Yes, Itachi was only doing this because she was a passing fancy and nothing more, she was firmly convinced that no man like him would actively pursue a woman like her as a wife. Just a pretty little companion, a trophy that will eventually loose its shine and be thrown behind the newest one, forever forgotten and collecting dust.

Letting that thought fuel the fires of her spirit she kicked upwards and found purchase in his family jewels. His hold lessened and she easily spun around and hit him behind the head where he crumpled into a shaking heap on the ground.

"Bad news for you bastard" She moved her bangs behind her ears, "You're gonna wait a lot longer for me to be your whore. Even worse news, I hit your brain stem temporarily disabling all motor functions. If you want to move your hand you may possibly move your leg or a finger, who knows?" She shrugged before picking up her pack and walking towards the prince. Kneeling down, she took his weapon holster and buckled it on her thigh before straightening her stance and sharply turning.

"See you around." She carelessly waved behind herself just as she jumped onto a low hanging branch and ultimately disappearing from sight.

A low whistle alerted the disabled man that there was another person within the area.

"What a little vixen you've got" A blue skinned man slowly stepped out from the foliage and sat down next to the twitching man and gave him a toothy grin showing off his remarkably sharp teeth. "Yo."

Itachi never felt the need to kill as much as he did right at that particular moment.

=-=

Naruto's eyes were closed, as they had been for the past two days. He was busy meditating, an exercise he never had the patience for, but his sensei forced him to do it many times and usually he felt far more apt to handle certain situations than he had prior. These past two days were dedicated to the enigma that was his best friend and the relationship that could hardly be defined in words.

Just what was it? Yeah he felt...attracted to Sasuke, and his broodiness could sometimes be...well interesting but that's it.

However the main reason he was sitting under this cold waterfall was to confront the issue at hand: was he attracted to Sasuke enough to actually find himself happily living with him for the rest of his natural life?

Unfortunately the answer was as clear as the soft whistle of a kunai cutting through the air. Deftly catching the projectile, Naruto's blue gaze landed on the twenty men surrounding the area.

Completely unaffected by the intruders, Naruto stood up and moved away from the waterfall, taking the slippery path to the lake shoreline all the while ignoring the would-be-threat. Slowly, he donned his clothes and finally looked up to acknowledge the various men.

It was time to end this chase and run.

"I challenge Sasuke Uchiha to a match of first blood. Winner is given the opportunity to claim his prize."

"I accept dobe"

Flashing black met piercing blue and one ANBU uttered the word that set things into motion,

"Begin!"

-=-

Diedara knew there ought to be a law out there that condemned having this much fun. Smiling broadly he found purchase on a narrow ledge and watched as a blazing inferno roared out of the cave ten feet to the left of him.

Oh yeah, they called it murder and arson.

Unfortunately, the red-headed male actively pursing him was smarter than the average bear and didn't take his poorly planned bait.

Watching the approach of one of many puppets Sasori controlled, Diedara muttered a soft "Fuck un." Before rapidly climbing up the steep face of the mountain, not knowing that, that is exactly what Sasori wanted him to do.

Indeed the tables were turning and the crafty blonde may finally meet his match.

-=-=-

Shikamaru let out an irradiated sigh with his forehead pressed to the locked doors of his bedchamber,

"Ino this is getting troublesome, come out now!"

"No!" Her shrill voice was laced with her usual tone of stubbornness, that for some unknown reason, Shikamaru found it endearing in most cases, today was not one of those.

"We are expected to get married in ten minutes!"

"Tell them all to go to hell!" She yelled, "I will not get married without my best friend."

"Tenten is replacing-"

"NO! Tenten is not Sakura, Shikamaru. I can't get married without her, it would feel wrong and I'm scared."

"Of getting married?"

"Sakura is my rock Shika," Her voice was more muffled indicating she was right near the door and speaking in a more subdued voice, "She's been a better friend than I could ever deserve and for once in my life I want to do something right in our relationship. She deserves to be by my side as she always has been."

"I could force you to the alter you know that?"

"And you know I will never forgive you" She argued back, "Bring Sakura back and I will get married to you."

"Troublesome woman" He conceded to defeat, "Be ready by tomorrow." Sharply turning on his heels he went in search of the prince. Shikamaru wanted to find the pink haired spit fire as soon as possible and if it means busting his ass in order to marry the person he loved most, then so be it.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Naruto jabbed his left foot on the ground and used the momentum to pivot out of the way of Sasuke's right hook. Bending backwards, he avoided the round-house kick and in quick succession he crossed his arms to block the downwards elbow strike. Rapidly he fell to the ground and swept Sasuke's feet from under him, however Sasuke recovered enough to do a back hand spring and easily land in a crouched position. He remained in that position, keenly watching the blue eyed man in front of him.

Rotating his neck, Naruto grinned, "Warm up's done."

Sasuke smirked as he launched himself forward, catching an ANBU's sword, he swung downwards and was surprised to meet resistance from a butcher knife.

Naruto eased his resistance and deftly rotated the knife towards Sasuke's throat and wasn't surprised to see his friend dodge and create a ten foot diameter between them. Expertly holding the kitchen utensil in a defensive manner, both males circled each other waiting for a perfect opportunity to strike.

There it was! Taking off far quicker than expected, the male sliced his weapon up and to the right with deep satisfaction. Although his counterpart tried to dodge, it was too late. A paper thin line of red nicked the cheek and just as soon as the battle started, it was over and the winner was ready to demand his prize.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Sakura was standing on a hill overlooking a valley, beyond that was the horizon and slowly setting sun. Day eight came to an end and the entire area seemed at peace. The soft sea breeze caressed her face and the soft chirps of crickets slowly began to warm up for the night and for once in a long while, Sakura had time to further contemplate her place in this world.

For hours she stood there, unaffected by anything and everything. Time for her ceased to be relevant.

Yes she felt alone in such a vast area but she knew better than to put energy into that thought. Sakura also knew that dwelling on the possibility of there being a happily ever after for herself would only set her up for disappointment. Still, knowing such things hardly co-existed happily with emotions.

Despite her usual temperamental outbursts towards her team mates, she was a relatively big realist who hardly ever allowed emotions to cloud her judgment.

"Tell me" She calmly spoke, "Are humans inherently selfish creatures or just foolishly hopeful?"

"I believe that human basic instinct dictates the survival of the individual and family. However, it is because we have a strong sense of self and possess free will that determines to what extent our basic instinct dictates how we act."

"And those that do not go against them?"

"They are brought to justice by those who believe that we're above the common mongrel."

"Justice: the administering of a deserved punishment or reward." Sakura easily defined, "As dictated by a whole. What if an individual's sense of justice is wholly different?"

"Then they will be subjected to the whole. This world isn't perfect and you know it. If it were-"

"-Then the world would be a boring place."

"It would be a lot less complicated."

Sakura nodded, "I cannot conform to this life style, I just wasn't meant for it." She confessed to her companion, "I cannot be captured because I fear that I will die when forced into a new position such as this. I am not meant for this. I am not made to be a docile wife to keep busy with hearth and home and nothing else. I know that I am meant for so much more than that."

"He does too Sakura. Itachi knows you well enough to acknowledge that you cannot be a pretty canary locked in a cage. That man knows what you've gone through, he's watched you grow up and become the woman he admires and respects. No other female has garnered one, one-hundredth the attention he gives you."

"Even if what you say is true Shikamaru, I cannot go down without a fight."

"Troublesome woman" He muttered, "I knew you would say that, which is why I had four ANBU stationed in the forest ready to catch you should you desire to escape, and if necessary I will fight you."

Sakura turned to look at her friend, "I am so tired of fighting" She confided before gazing back into the horizon. "Remember playing Indiana Jones at Manito Park when we were younger?"

"Yes." Shikamaru barely allowed that word to escape his mouth when he witnessed Sakura take a running jump off the hill and began to jump onto various outcroppings on the otherwise vertical side. Watching her with a calm gaze, he softly spoke, "Which was why I anticipated your bold move Sakura. Checkmate."

* * *

**Ah so sorry there wasn't as much ItachiXSakura interaction the upcoming last two chapters should have a lot more interaction between the two and I may or may not make a sequel with a lot more lemony parts. *shrugs shoulders* Tell me what you think, did you like this chapter or what did you like about a certain character? And who the hell won between Sasuke and Naruto? Also will Sasori actually catch the blonde or will Diedara be the first one to ever escape?**


	6. Down Time

**Warning there contains a lot of cussing. Also, I am thinking of ending the story here at this chapter, or possibly adding one more to wrap things up a bit better. Either way, I do enjoy the reviews I have received thus far and appreciate them immensely.**

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* * *

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Sakura landed in a small clearing. Slowly she straightened her posture and fluidly took a few steps to the right.

She was truly a beautiful sight, her hair ruffled by the wind, her piercing green eyes that seemed so alert, and that feline body so fluid in every minute movement she made. Sakura was a dangerous woman, both in mind and body and to him, he found every aspect of her, flaws and everything, to be magnificently beautiful if not sexy.

Walking out of the shadows, he made his presence known to the petite woman, "Sakura, I am not here to fight you. I think we can both agree that we are just too tired to recommence that aspect so soon after our last encounter."

He could see the weariness in her face and he fought the slight urge to frown. Her face should not be marred with that look especially when concerning him.

"What do you want to do then?" She tiredly asked, "If not to fight, then perhaps you're bidding time for your buddies to come here?"

"I only had Shikamaru force you here so that we may talk privately. His task is done."

Her posture did not relax, nor did it tense more, however; Itachi could see the slight tremble in her legs as though they were preparing to run and he couldn't have that, "Please Sakura," He quietly asked, purposefully seeking her gaze with his own.

She blinked away, "Why do you want to talk?"

"Because I know you pride yourself on your logic and talking things out could help you sort through your own questions and emotions." He crossed his arms and sat down with his back to the giant oak. Slowly he closed his eyes, waiting for her to make her decision.

He heard the slow shuffling of her feet and felt her uncertainty in waves. Itachi was so in tune with her that he knew she was contemplating if she could sneak up and knock him out. Despite his lax posture he was just as alert as her and he knew she knew that as well. Eventually, she walked over to him and sat down with a heavy sigh.

"So talk."

"This is for your benefit Sakura. Ask me your questions and I shall answer to the best I can." Slowly, he opened his eyes to see her glaring forward gnawing on her bottom lip. She was breathtaking.

"Why me?" Came her question, "Why come after me when you can have a woman who is more refined?"

"Because you have this undeniable spirit that attracts me" Itachi smoothly replied, "Ever since you were little you have intrigued me with everything you do. Unlike a refined lady of the court, you stand up for yourself and your friends. You carry a bigger sense of self and do not hide behind a faulty exterior. It's a breath of fresh air."

"If you were so attracted to me, then why not ask me out on a date before all of this?"

"Because if we were to date, you would have been in the same boat as your blonde friend. Nobles are allowed to date and if the person they are dating is worthy of being wed with, then we are forced into a minimum one year solitude to properly think the relationship over and if still in love, then you could get married. I didn't want to leave you suddenly and have you hate me or think that I used you, so I waited until this."

"Yeah because being hunted down is _so_ much better." She sarcastically bit, "Being alone and fending for yourself while jumping at every irregular noise thinking it's your pursuer..."

"I am sorry." He truly was. He never meant for her to go this long but she was just as stubborn as he.

"How long have you been attracted to me?"

"When you turned fifteen. You were celebrating your birthday at my little brother's apartment. Everyone was drunk save for you and I."

"I remember that night" She whispered, "We talked until everyone passed out."

He let out a soft, deep chuckle at the memory, "And all the beds were taken. We had to sleep on the floor."

"That floor was cold."

"I kept you warm once you stopped being stubborn and allowed for me to wrap my arms around you. I knew I was more than attracted to you once we woke up that morning."

Sakura wrinkled her nose, "Even when I burnt the eggs?"

"Even then" He smirked, "It was comical seeing you run around the kitchen looking for something to put out that fire. I also found you more attractive when you angrily spun around and threw the pan at my head."

"I didn't hit you." She defended, "Poor Naruto still thinks Sasuke did that." She tried to hold back a smile but Itachi saw her eyes sparkle with mirth.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue, like the ocean or a cloudless day."

Their conversation continued on for countless hours until Sakura's head fell on his shoulders and promptly fell asleep.

Looking down at her, he softly smiled. Gently, he shifted her against the tree and slowly stood. Contemplating his next move he found himself in inner turmoil. There she was, vulnerable and easy to take back to the castle and claim her. Or he could leave her here to fight again another day.

Running his painted nails through his hair, he looked at the starry night sky as though it would give him the answer he needed. Looking back down, he made his decision.

"Nara" He called to the quiet guard.

"This is Troublesome."

* * *

Naruto was furiously glaring outside the window.

"Would you quit it? I'm sure Sakura is fine."

"She's all by herself." He whispered.

* * *

Diedara was following behind Sasori trying to feign indifference when he really was irritated.

"I can't believe I fell for that yeah." He murmured.

"I can" Sasori easily replied. "I am quite surprised you held out for this long."

Deidara grunted a reply, his chains echoing ominously down the empty corridor. His blue gaze went towards the windows covering an entire length of wall, the moon was waning that brisk evening and he couldn't help but wonder how that pink haired sheila was doing.

Either way, he wasn't going anywhere at this point, his clay-like C4 was confiscated upon being pinned by Sasori-danna and anything else that had potential of being used as a weapon was immediately removed from his character.

Casting a side-ways glance at the red-head, he couldn't ever remember a time when anyone wanted him other than dead. This man was unusual with a horrid sense of art, but in the end, he found that he respected Sasori.

Narrowing his eyes, Diedara's posture straigtened as unbidden memories began resurfacing. More prominent where his college years, how he foolishly felt above the cut. He believed he was better than any art students there, hell he was perhaps the only destitute kid to have ever attended a prestigious art school and for the most part, all of the teachers praised his sculptures, the next Michaelangelo they had exclaimed. The various scholarships had come in by the truckful and by his sophomore year at the university he was invited to galleries by the country's top artists and even had a few of his pieces put on display. Everything at that moment was going exceptionally well and like the fool he was, he believed this was how his life would come to be.

His junior year took a turn for the worst, his father, the man who supported him since he showed an affinity for clay, had been murdered in cold blood. Worse yet, the murder weapon was found only feet away from the body, his sculpting knife. It was only hours after his father's death that the police had found him and with no aliby and they whisked him off to prison. He was too devastated to even remember being cuffed and roughly shoved into the dingy holding cell where he would await transportation via boat to an island meant to hold the worst of the country's criminals. He could barely remember the silent boat ride with other prisoners or the screams of inmates as he was given his set of clothes and a hole in the wall cell.

All that went through his mind for a good month that his father was dead. His father, the one who worked three jobs to put his son through school, the man who would spend extra money on clay and various other art supplies instead of a new tunic or boots. The man gave up everything for him and they would dare accuse _him_ of killing the one man who always stood by his side. He, killing his father whom he loved above everything?!

Outwardly, Diedara clutched his fists in silent rage. Those damn morons! After his month of disbelief, with no money for a proper lawyer, Diedara set himself on a strict schedule, eat, bathe, workout, eat, workout and sleep. What more could he do? For years he kept to himself and worked himself to exhaustion just so he didn't have enough energy to dream of his father's haunted face asking him why? It was five years of incarceration where he was released with the deepest apologies and his record clear, according to police records a man had fessed up right before blowing his damn brains out in front of an entire police force.

He tried going back to the University but they had refused him re-admittance they had already forgotten him and his talents and he was once again a nobody but this time he had nobody. For another year, he was jumping from one homeless shelter to another before he could once again find a stable job as an art instructor for a high school and he once again began sculpting, but it all felt so hollow and empty.

That's when he grasped hold of the concept that, like people, art was never meant to last. It was brief but beautiful. That conclusion came when, on a cloudless spring day, he was standing near his father's grave. He hadn't been able to attend his father's funeral and upon seeing that small piece of granite in the ground, he knew that a beautiful person had died. Humans were beautiful only briefly before age or death claimed them, they were walking pieces of art, therefore art was never meant to last, it was to end at its prime and not wilt away.

He was going to kill himself the day the invitation arrived. He was going to head to the University that scorned him and blow himself and the rest of that place up, it would be his last and best work of art. However, the invitation kept him from doing that, and allowing curiosity to get the better of him, packed his bags and headed here.

Having nothing to loose, he fought like a demon possessed in this little hunt for the nobles. He wanted to take out every mother-fucker he could for he felt justified from years of loneliness and pain. However, he came to the conclusion when he jumped in for that rose-haired chick, that he felt alive for the first time in a long time. Though short, he had goals. The man pursuing him was an enigma that riled him up but in a good way and loathe he was to admit it aloud, he was content with how things played out. Maybe, fate wasn't a complete PMSing bitch afterall, maybe he had a chance of happiness...maybe...

"Hurry up."

Maybe the red-head prick would like his head shoved up his ass.

"Bastard yeah."

* * *

So soft. Sakura spread her limbs around the soft sheets and smiled as she snuggled more into the goose-feathered pillow with relish. The coolness on her skin felt so much better than the harsh bite of morning wind or the coolness of the dew that made her clothes insufferably damp for the better part of the day. For once there was no twig sticking into her lower back or rock lodged into her shoulder blade. It was pure comfort that she had all but forgotten.

Wait.

Comfort?

Bolting upright, green eyes wide and fists clenched, she took in her surroundings and what she saw made her see red.

"UCHIHA!" She yelled in anger, "THAT SON OF A BITCH!"

* * *

So what do you guys think? Should I stop it here or continue on with one more chapter? Hmm but what of Itachi and Sakura's chat? Interesting isn't it?


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